Monday Mention... Re-visit Food Traditions

 

          A while back I wrote a post http://whole-food-living.blogspot.com/2013/10/food-traditions-and-their-benefits.html  about making food traditions with your family ( that could be or include your cousins, nieces, nephews, sisters, friend etc.) so I thought in this New Year I would re-visit the idea. My children are getting older and sometimes what we once did is not possible anymore so we are starting to create different ones. Like my oldest son who is now married and expecting their first child, has come up the last couple years on Christmas morning and I've made us all a big breakfast. So that is fast becoming our tradition and as my granddaughter arrives I'm sure there will be more exciting and new ones that will be handed down. I've also started years ago, since my oldest son left the nest, cooking him a meal to take home on the days when he comes to visit through out the year.
          You don't have to be a person who loves to cook or even enjoys being in the kitchen. Don't let feeling like it has to be a " Martha Stewart" kind of thing hold you back.There is always "Google and Pinerest" to help with ideas and there are awesome things at the grocery store, specially shops, or even your farmers market that would work just fine. It's never to late to start and traditions are not only for the holidays. So do what makes you happy and with love and there can be no result other then it's "a good thing."

Holiday Adjustments...

       The holiday season brings with it, recipes of family favorites both old and new. But when you are trying to avoid that certain ingredient because of wanting to be healthier or for dietary reasons, it can leave you feeling confused.
        One of my favorite pie's is pumpkin whether it's for Thanksgiving or Christmas ( I'll take one for both ) and having to avoid gluten and dairy, I have to say I hadn't been as eager to make it as much as I once did... Until I learned to "adjust" my ingredient and realizing it was just as good as I remember. The more you exchange ingredients the more your palate becomes accustom to the taste. A lot of times the difference is so subtle that you don't even notice. Below is my mothers Pumpkin Pie recipe I grew up making every year. I only made a few minor "adjustments" with the ingredients and I was a little too happy with the results, as you can see from the last couple of pieces left in the pie pan.

Mom's Pumpkin Pie ( original recipe)

1 1/2 cup pumpkin

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

11/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. cloves

3 beaten eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1 - 6oz can ( 2/3 cup) evaporated milk

 1- 9 in pie shell

Combine pumpkin, sugar, salt, spices. Blend in eggs, milk, and evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell. Bake 400 degrees for 50 minutes or until knife is clean.

* my "adjustments"

~ 1/2 cup of organic coconut sugar ( which makes it a bit darker in color)

~ no nutmeg

~ 2 cups of organic coconut milk in a can ( used a little less because when exchanging non dairy milk for regular milk, it sets up better is you use a little less

~ And a store bought pie crust... because there is nothing wrong with making life easier!

This is the store bought crust I purchased at Earthfare. When we took our first bites - almost right out of the oven the crust seemed a bit tough. But the next day it actually softened with the moisture from the filling.

The pie looked beautiful going in the oven and it tasted SO good when it came out ~ as you can see from what is left! I have another pumpkin recipe that I altered over on my website http://wholefood-living.com/recipe.html check it out. Can you tell I LOVE everything pumpkin!

If you would like some help making Holiday Adjustments to your recipes or just some "adjustments" to your everyday meals...

Contact me at: http://wholefood-living.com/contact.html